Purchases made with Library REACH Funds: Fiction and Non-fiction books, Reference Collection of books (General Encyclopedia set, Documenting History, Library of Natural Disasters, Living Green, Human Body Works, People & Places, and Early People Collection purchased through World Book.
Content area addressed: Language Arts
Worked with which teachers: Ms. Rudy, Mr. Charles, and Ms. Paz
Title of Project(s) implemented: Author Trading Card
Description of Lesson:
- Resources Used: Biographies from our Non-fiction and Reference Collection, and Computers - Grade Levels: 6th Grade - Lesson Goal: Conduct project research, individually, utilizing all aspects of the research process, using print and online sources How do you know the goal was achieved? During my observations, I found that students were fully engaged during the research process, searching online, and using new encyclopedia volumes, and biographical books. They demonstrated their knowledge through their note taking using the graphic organizer provided, and successfully created a published author trading card. Lastly, students began to check out books by the authors they and their peers learned about.
Tips on implementing at another school: Need at least two adults to assist with research process. Especially when guiding students on how to locate information using table of contents and indexes. Also, be better equipped with technology; know publishing program and sites students can use ahead of time.
Lessons learned: Lesson was successful but took a lot of time to implement. Seeing classes once a week made the project seem like it took forever. I think next time I will select one or two classes per month to work with.
Plans for usage of material next year: To have students conduct further research and to check out books of various types of authors and genres.
Lesson Plan: Author Trading Cards Learning Objective: Students will investigate various authors, utilizing all aspects of the research process, using print and online sources to create an author trading card that incorporates facts, photos, major works, and awards. Students will record and organize their information using a desktop publishing template. Overview of Lesson: To introduce students to various authors and encourage them to read. In this lesson students will have the opportunity to investigate various contemporary authors and learn about the books they write and what influences them to write particular genres. Students will create Author Trading Cards featuring their “spot light” author to share and trade with classmates as they select future reading material. Materials: Biographies from our non-fiction, encyclopedias from our reference collection, computers, smart-board, graphic organizer, and trading card template. Motivation: View online interview with Patricia Polacco @ http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/polacco Ask students what influenced Patricia Polacco to become an author? How did her upbringing lead her into to the direction of writing? What genre would you categorize her work? Why? Explain to students that knowing and understanding an author can help you better relate to the author and their purpose for writing. It also can broaden their selection of what authors to choose from when selecting a book. Procedure:
After the author interview and discussion, ask students how they get their information about people they are interested in learning about. What forms of materials do they read, listen, and watch to get their information about these people? Introduce a different form of information record – “trading card.”
Display various types of trading cards (baseball, football, etc…) Ask students to review and discuss the type of information found on the cards (Photo, statistics, biographical information, etc… List types of information each card bears on the board.
After discussion, lead the students to compile a list of the various types of information that could be including on trading cards if an author were the subject. Demonstrate that the organization of a trading card might visually appear differently than that of a traditional essay but, is quite the same. It includes an idea or subject that is supported by facts and details.
Assign, or allow students to choose, an author to research for information about their author to include on their trading card. (American Library Association, Reading Rockets)
Teacher and Librarian will assist students on selecting appropriate sources from the Reference and Biography Collection as well as providing a list of online sources they can use to get biographical information about their authors.
Students will begin to research and record information about their author on a graphic organizer (given by librarian). Students will be reminded to cite each source used during their investigation. Also, each student is asked to make sure they have one online source, one printed source, and one alternative source of their choice.
Students will conference with teacher and librarian about the information they gathered and how to summarize that information, to apply on their trading card.
Using a template in Microsoft Publishing, students will have the option to type or write their information onto their card. Including a list of three of the author’s titles and awards they received.
Lastly, students will search, print, and insert a current photo of their author to add to their trading card.
If time and expense allows, laminate cards.
Students will have the opportunity to share and display their trading cards around the library.
Incentive: Announce that it will be the goal of each student to collect these cards (printed replicas) each time they read a book by one of these authors. A system might be devised of privileges, prizes, or points for the most cards collected – suggestions might include but are not limited to - most cards by the same author, biggest variety of authors read, most Newbery Award winning books read, etc…) post list on chart in library for students to track.
Librarian: Anastasia Lipari, ALipari@schools.nyc.gov
Grade Levels: 6th grade
- Description of Lesson:
- Resources Used: Biographies from our Non-fiction and Reference Collection, and Computers- Grade Levels: 6th Grade
- Lesson Goal: Conduct project research, individually, utilizing all aspects of the research process, using print and online sources
How do you know the goal was achieved? During my observations, I found that students were fully engaged during the research process, searching online, and using new encyclopedia volumes, and biographical books. They demonstrated their knowledge through their note taking using the graphic organizer provided, and successfully created a published author trading card. Lastly, students began to check out books by the authors they and their peers learned about.
Lesson Plan: Author Trading Cards
Learning Objective: Students will investigate various authors, utilizing all aspects of the research process, using print and online sources to create an author trading card that incorporates facts, photos, major works, and awards. Students will record and organize their information using a desktop publishing template.
Overview of Lesson: To introduce students to various authors and encourage them to read.
In this lesson students will have the opportunity to investigate various contemporary authors and learn about the books they write and what influences them to write particular genres. Students will create Author Trading Cards featuring their “spot light” author to share and trade with classmates as they select future reading material.
Materials: Biographies from our non-fiction, encyclopedias from our reference collection, computers, smart-board, graphic organizer, and trading card template.
Motivation: View online interview with Patricia Polacco @ http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/polacco
Ask students what influenced Patricia Polacco to become an author? How did her upbringing lead her into to the direction of writing? What genre would you categorize her work? Why?
Explain to students that knowing and understanding an author can help you better relate to the author and their purpose for writing. It also can broaden their selection of what authors to choose from when selecting a book.
Procedure:
- After the author interview and discussion, ask students how they get their information about people they are interested in learning about. What forms of materials do they read, listen, and watch to get their information about these people? Introduce a different form of information record – “trading card.”
- Display various types of trading cards (baseball, football, etc…) Ask students to review and discuss the type of information found on the cards (Photo, statistics, biographical information, etc… List types of information each card bears on the board.
- After discussion, lead the students to compile a list of the various types of information that could be including on trading cards if an author were the subject. Demonstrate that the organization of a trading card might visually appear differently than that of a traditional essay but, is quite the same. It includes an idea or subject that is supported by facts and details.
- Assign, or allow students to choose, an author to research for information about their author to include on their trading card. (American Library Association, Reading Rockets)
- Teacher and Librarian will assist students on selecting appropriate sources from the Reference and Biography Collection as well as providing a list of online sources they can use to get biographical information about their authors.
- Students will begin to research and record information about their author on a graphic organizer (given by librarian). Students will be reminded to cite each source used during their investigation. Also, each student is asked to make sure they have one online source, one printed source, and one alternative source of their choice.
- Students will conference with teacher and librarian about the information they gathered and how to summarize that information, to apply on their trading card.
- Using a template in Microsoft Publishing, students will have the option to type or write their information onto their card. Including a list of three of the author’s titles and awards they received.
- Lastly, students will search, print, and insert a current photo of their author to add to their trading card.
- If time and expense allows, laminate cards.
- Students will have the opportunity to share and display their trading cards around the library.
Incentive: Announce that it will be the goal of each student to collect these cards (printed replicas) each time they read a book by one of these authors. A system might be devised of privileges, prizes, or points for the most cards collected – suggestions might include but are not limited to - most cards by the same author, biggest variety of authors read, most Newbery Award winning books read, etc…) post list on chart in library for students to track.